Eye-opening interview with antiwar vet just back from Iraq

[Cheesehead]

Interview from our local (Northeastern Wisconsin) alternative monthly with a 10 year National Guard veteran just back from Iraq. He made a splash locally before his deployment by publicly opposing the war as a guardsman.

While quite long, the article gives an eyeopening glimpse into the activities of our occupation forces.

Scene: A lot of the reports when some of the insurgents were starting to crop up, it was often dismissed by the administration and some of the media as remnants of Baathists or fringe groups, Islamic radical fringe groups. Are you saying, or do you believe through your own observation, that there’s more of a generalized animosity?

Moon: I think there was already the tension and distrust of us from the countless bombings we did between this war and the last war, and our support of Israel, that combined with their culture, which is one of — I mean, they like revenge, it seemed that way — and then I think all the insurgents now, I don’t think Islam really has all that much to do with it. I doubt that they’re loyal to any, or have any connection with the Baath party or terrorists.
If you come home and find your wife dead in your house because a stray tank shell blew your house apart and you had pretty much nothing, a couple sheep and a little farm to begin with, I think that puts them over the edge. Or you see or hear an Iraqi and you see that, or as I saw, we confiscate their vehicles. Or you watch on the news and see the Abu Ghraib prison thing and you just finally say enough, I’ve had enough.

Scene: Isn’t there still, though, an acknowledgement on the part of Iraqis — you know, we got rid of the dictator who was one of the worst dictators in the world, I think everyone agrees with that. It seems probably from someone looking at it here in the United States, it seems, why are they being so ungrateful? … Is it possible that good feeling from getting rid of Saddam Hussein just dissipated that quickly?

Moon: I heard a lot of them comment to me and say to me, well, how is it better? How is it better now? Saddam Hussein was a horrible dictator, but you knew the rules. It was easier. They had electricity — granted, some of them only for half a day — and they had water, and if someone broke into their house you could go and tell someone and then that guy would be arrested. You knew what you couldn’t say or what you couldn’t do.
It was horrible, if you broke that little, if you stepped out of your role you were allowed to be in, there were horrible consequences, but you knew that. It’s not like that anymore.

http://www.valleyscene.com/cover.html

[Cheesehead]

1. One kick. This is worth reading!

:kick: